Weber, Collin Joel ; Lechthaler, Simone (2021)
Plastics as a stratigraphic marker in fluvial deposits.
In: Anthropocene, 36
doi: 10.1016/j.ancene.2021.100314
Artikel, Bibliographie

Kurzbeschreibung (Abstract)

Plastics as purely human-made materials have entered the environment for at least 70 years. They are detectable in a wide variety of ecosystems worldwide. Due to the global occurrence of plastics, the long-lasting presence, the clear temporal delineation and the lack of a geogenic background, plastics have also been considered as a potential marker for the proposed Anthropocene. Fluvial depositional systems are transport pathways for anthropogenic plastic residues through the environment, and they provide opportunities for the storage and accumulation of plastics. Despite the potential negative effects that originate from pollution to the environment and its biota, the presence of plastic in fluvial environments is also potentially useful for a scientific advantage. The viewpoint presented in this paper raises the question of whether plastic particles are also usable as a new stratigraphic marker within fluvial systems of the “Anthropocene”, and thus for dating the youngest sedimentary deposits. We elaborate on the theory of conditions for using plastic as a stratigraphic marker, as well as its use as a general marker (from 1950) and as a specific marker based on polymer types and the associated age on earliest possible occurrence (1910–1990). Benefits and limitations in practical and interdisciplinary application include an inexpensive and rapid approach with combinable existing methods, that may be limited by disturbance of the investigated legacy sediments or in-situ relocation of plastic.

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